This is the city: Los Angeles, California. I work here. I'm an ex-mayor. Los Angeles is a magnet for people from all over the world. Some of them run for public office. Inevitably some of them stray from the golden rule and rule for those that have the gold. That's when I go to work. My name is Yorty. I'm a dead pol.

Wednesday, August 13, 2008

Controversy over the Hazard Park Armory reaches Newsprint

Much has been written here about Legacy LA and its founder, Southwest Society Member Jenny Krusoe. In the days ahead Ms. Krusoe will have her hands full with Legacy LA and as an active supporter of the Autry atttempt to expand their space in Griffith Park.

In the recent weeks the Southwest Society has been active in supporting the McCormick, Baron, and Salazar Transit Development Proposal in Highland Park with Grayson Cook, Carol Jacques and Jenny Krusoe helping with facilitating a presentation by Dalila Sotelo's old bosses. Some speculate that this was done to win favor with Councilman Ed Reyes .

Meanwhile an important meeting will take place Monday at 10:00 AM in City Hall on Zoning Issues pertaining to the proposed Autry Expansion in Griffith Park.

Back to the Hazard Park Armory, Krusoe and her associate Lou Calanche had these remarks in response to concerns of community activists such as Jose Aguilar.

For Jose Aguilar, Urban Park Community Chair, the development of the buildings and the services planned are positive plans, but he worries about the possibility of a 30-year contract with an entity that is not public.

“They are using private money for the project, and besides talking to the residents of the area, there is no guarantee that Legacy L.A. will always have the best interest of the community in mind or reflect what the community wants,” Aguilar told EGP. Aguilar compares it with the Southwest Museum which began with community members wanting to preserve and keep historical artifacts in Arroyo Seco, but now feel that they have been robbed of a valuable resource, since the privately run Autry National Museum assumed control of the museum.From Krusoe,Krusoe says Legacy L.A. is trying to create a partnership with the Department of Parks and Recreation. Councilman Huizar echoed that concept.

“The details have yet to be worked out, but Legacy L.A. will be in a partnership with Recreation and Parks, but Rec and Parks will retain ownership of the actual property.”

According to Krusoe, next month they will complete their studies and present their findings to the community.

“We are doing everything we can do be transparent,” Krusoe said.

She also said the Web Site does not contain more information because they currently don’t have the funds to update it.

From Calanche,Executive Director of Legacy L.A. Lou Calanche grew up in Ramona Gardens and says the majority of the people who make up the organization are from the area and are excited that the armory (which was off-limits to civilians in the past) may be used by the community.

“Legacy L.A. began as an umbrella to house local community organizations,” Calanche told EGP, “But the program has evolved and now we plan to provide services to the community.”

Calanche said the city had thought about using the buildings for a youth boxing center but the city does not have the funds or capacity to do it.Calanche recently express her appreciation to Mayor Villaraigosa by doing this,06/27/08 Maria Lourdes Calanche (Instructor, LA Community College District) Los Angeles, CA 90031 Antonio Villaraigosa Mayor 1305101 - Antonio R. Villaraigosa for Mayor 2009 A - Monetary Contribution Received (IND - Individual) [Period: 01/01/08-06/30/08] $1,000.00And Councilman Jose Huizar said this,In a statement responding to questions from EGP, Councilman Jose Huizar pointed out that often community programs are created without community input, and said, “this will be the opposite.”

“Contrary to some fringe opinions, the board is not uniformly filled with supporters of one group over another,” Huizar wrote. “There was a lot of painstaking effort to ensure it included a fair mix of people and it obviously includes community members. Again, the whole basis of the program is to promote community ideas and community support and that will continue throughout the duration once the community decides what programs it wants.”

12 Comments:

Anonymous said:

Everyone knows Huizar doesn't give a rats ass what the community thinks because at his big pr meeting the public were threatened and told if they act up a police officer would throw them out. What type of crap is that? There is no community voice anymore with Huizar. You fill out comment cards and if likes the question then you get an answer, other then that no one cares what you thimk.

Aren't all the people on this Legacy LA board connected to Huizar in one way or another?

You know what? I don't care about the Hazard Park Armory either, but I'm really glad that if it were my issue, people who do care could read about it. We've heard about issues in all 15 districts and I'm thankful that Higby is here to talk about them all. So if you want to read about the issue, read. If you want to just bash the council and mayor - use the open thread.

Zuma, I’m tired of you talking all this shit when you don’t even know. I live in Ramona Gardens and I can tell you, you don't know your ass from a hole in the ground. Let me just get you informed about a couple things. Legacy is not getting a lease at all. Legacy is partnering with Rec and Parks. Rec and Parks will always run programs at the Armory. Why don’t you get your ignorant ass to someplanning meetings? Get all the facts and stop listening to people who have agendas. You could put your energy into doing something good instead of shit talking so much. Did you know that over 500 community surveys were collected to develop the basis of this project? Did you know an architect is beginning to work with our community in September to make our dreams come true? The community planning committee gets to approve designs at each stage. You try to destroy projects when YOU don't take the time to learn or because YOU don't understand how things work. Zuma Dog, you seem to have buckets of energy for running your mouth, your opinions, and your self-righteous attitude. With a little bit of knowledge, you could be helping instead of harming.

August 15, 2008 4:53 PM

Zuma Dogg said... Zelda,

Like just about everything the city does, the concept is good (the services that will be provided by LA Legacy, the idea itself is good).

The complaint some members of the community contacted me about, was that 500 community surveys may have been done, but ONE organization was selected to do THIS project in this space, rather than having several different people pitch ideas and plans.

I don't try and destroy projects. I like to make sure the community gets what is promised, and my concern is that when these non-profit projects are handed over to a pre-decided, politically connected group...things end up sideways.

So I don't want you to think I have a problem with the project, just the process.

August 16, 2008 12:28 AM

Anonymous said... Zuma - AMEN to the previous person. I used to be fan of yours, but you are becoming just like a politician - trying to get in front of the camera and hear yourself talk - HERE IS THE TRUTH THAT YOUR IDIOT FRIENDS ARE NOT TELLING YOU:

FIRST THE HAZARD PARK ADVISORY BOARD WHICH HAS BEEN RAISING ALL THIS BS, WAS GIVEN TWO F%&^%&^ SEATS ON THE BOARD, WHICH IS MORE THAN ANYONE ELSE, and they still raise issues!!- Jose Aguilar, your friend and member of the Hazard Park Advisory Board was ASKED TO BE ON THE LEGACY LA Planning committee. Many times, he told many people, that he had initial issues with Legacy, but then he was cool, then he flip flops and runs to the media like a little biatch. What a traitor, and like you HE DOESN"T LIVE IN RAMONA GARDENS OR IN THE AREA. LIKE YOU, HE SHOULD STAY THE F OUT.

- SCOTT JOHNSON - Current President of the Hazard Park Armory, was also asked to be on the board. Every issue that Big Puss has raised has been answered. That big Fred Flintstone MFer idiot has still gone out and tried to get Legacy's funding cut, and has tried other shady methods to hurt legacy, thereby hurting the community. When confronted with this, he still denied he did anything, EVEN THOUGH HE WAS CAAUGHT ON AUDIOTAPE!!!

Then he goes to the media and cries like a little Biatch.

And then there is Hugo Pacheco, the biggest wuss of them all. Stays away and hides, then comes out of his shell.

Zuma - stay behind the keyboard on this one. This is a good project, and your idiot friends are feeding you soup.

Hi All. I'm a personal friend of someone very involved with Legacy and I know that this person is doing everything that can be done to actually go into the community and find out what the community wants. Give it a chance.